PERSONAL ANECDOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 161, 9 July 1910, Page 14

PERSONAL ANECDOTES.

LOKD ABERDEEN'S . COURTSHIP.

Lord Aberdeen's courtship began in a most unconventional manner. He had determined on a life of "single blessedness";- but Fate willed otherwise- He was shooting on a friend's estate and unconsciously crossed the boundary and shot some partridges belonging to the late Lord Tweedmouth. A party of keepers, 'hearing the gunsj arrived on the sdene and arrested 'him as a poacher.

In iheir custody he was taken before Lord Tweedmouth, who instantly recognised that the supposed poacher's explanation was the truth. Full of apologies, ho invited the "poacher" to stay to lunch. And there .Lord Aberdeen met Isabel, the daughter of the house, who charmed him With her beauty and iher aeeomplishmentJs, and who as now the Countess of Aberdeen.

NO! , WORTS THE OFKBE.

"I "was standing out in. front one nighsfcj" said a well-known theatrical manager, ''when a ragged- little urchin came along with a dog under his arm. The dog was a yellow cur of the mangiest Variety I had ever seen. " 'Are you the manager of the show V asked the boy. "I told him I wa& "'Well,' remarked the lad, 1 ■want to see the show, but I hain't got no money. I'll tell you what I'll do; I'll give you this dog if you'll let mc in. 5 . . "I looked" at the boyj and then at the dog, and ray 'heart molted* Tou can go in,' I said, '''but iever mind about giving itte -the dog; Take the dog along with you.' ''The lad: Went in with the yellow cur under his arm. After the performance I was standing ottt in front, and happened to see the urchin Come out. " 'Well, sonny," I remarked, *hOw did ybu like the shew f J K '*O'h pretty -well/ he eaid, Tnrfc Tin awfully glad I didn't give yoil the dog.'''

TO SEE FOR HEEtSEIiF.

The weli-known actress, MUe. Polaire, is sailing for America next month. Her reason for going is amusing. "I used to know an American millionaire in Paris'* (Mr Vanderfoilt). "One Sunday he took mc in his motor-Car to Saint Germain. We dined at the Pavilion Henri IV>, and after dinner went for a drive in the park. As "we drove ajiong —at >was a beautjfui moonSighti night— l saw some Tirild flowers by the road-side, and said I should like thenu He stopped his car and told the chauffeur to get down and pick them. This annoyed mej and I told him so; so, rather late, he went to pick the flowers for mc. "Then I though* that I'd like to try whether I could drive the car myself. I started slowly, got interested, forgot all about the millionaire and his chauffeur, left them on the road, and drove myself home. Well now, Trould you believe that, although I sent the car back next morning, the millionaire man. never even .thanked mc for it 3 or sent mc the flowera: I am going over to New York to see -whether all Americans are las rude as that."

GENERAL AND THE EEPOKTEES.

General SfcopfOfd tells a funny story of how it is possible io foe taken too literally. He -was tlie late General Sir Redvers Bullet's right-hand man when he was in command at Aldershofc; and on tlie memorable day when it fras announced •that General Bullef had been superseded in the Alders-no & commands Government House, Ifornborough, /Was literally 'besieged t>y journalists eager to interviewSir RedverS* It was left to- General Stopford to keep the inquisitive scribes at a distances and right well he acquitted nimseM. In one particular instance ihe was getting tired of being cross-examined as to BullerV future movements, and abruptly told one of the reporters that <t?he General 'was "not in." "Do you know where lie has gone?" came foafck ths question. "Oh, Australia!" was General BtbpfortL's reply, as he turned away. The next morning) to his amusement, lie found in "this particular paper a circumstantial story to the effect that General Buller had been offered* and had accepted, the command of the forced in Aiistralia! Since then General Stopford has said that he never makes a statement' to a reporter without thinking it over carefully flrafc. <

"G. B.&" AS AN ITALIAN. SCHOIiAE.

•In spite of Mr George Bernard Sha.w's apology to the universe for living in it, ■ho possesses a wonderful knack ioi adapting himself to circumstances. This fact was aptly illustrated a year or two ago at Milan, where Mr Shaw ■found himself with a party of English folk. They were dining at a railway restaurant, and their waiter knew ii-ts language bat ihia crwm. the m-omeil-t came to pay and rush for the train, no one was itble 4o ttiate him understand that -what "was Wanted was Hot one ibill, but ibwenty'four. • . Here Mr Shaw's friends insisted that he must iknow Italian, and to act as intesprfeter he xacKed Ms tneinory for chips from I>ante, but vain. A3l of a fludden a line from the Opera, "13k Huguenots," fflashed«b&-hi3 'bndn—"Ognuno per sej per tutti il del" (Every man for himself;-Heaven for us all). Mr 6haw decla-imed it with triumphant success. "The army of waiters," relates the- (ffirama'tist, "were doubled up with laughter; my friends applauded wildly, end toy fame A3 an Italian scholar .has been-on "trieincrease ever since.?'

THE QUEEN AND CHITiDHEN.

Mrs. Klefldai, the well'known actress, m declaring the new Leeds Maternity Hospital open recently, referred to its excellent accommodation and its charming situation. She was sure, she conthat they had adopted a wise course In not having postponed the event In consequence of the death of the King. Tie bereaved Queen-Mother, who was deafer to our hearts than ever, would not 'have wished such a postponement. As-for Queen Mary, she had loved little children ever since she/ was a child herself. For many years her present Majesty had been president of the Children's Happy Evenings in London, and went amongst them like an ordinary mortal. WJiile among the poof children of Lambeth'one of the youngsters persisted in replying to Princess May's observations w.i*h "No, missusj" or "Yes, mls3us." This led the then Princess to inquire, "Now,niy little girl, do y6u know who I am?" After Some hesitation the little child from Lambeth blurted out, "Wales mii&US." (Laughter.) Mrs. Kcndal concluded by presenting two fine framed pictures of the QueenMother aiid Queen Mary, whom she described as ''the embodiment in two woment of k>ve, forgiveness, duty, and dig-